DEVASTATED Manuel Pascali broke both his leg and his heart when he was ruled out of the biggest date of his footballing life.

But Kilmarnock’s shattered skipper has revealed the messages of goodwill flooding in from across the game will live in his soul long after the Scottish Communities League Cup Final against Celtic.

Pascali’s fibula and Hampden dreams are in bits as he sits slumped in his flat just outside Rugby Park.

Having worked his way up from the eighth tier of the Italian game to reach such a showpiece game, the Killie talisman struggled at first to come to terms with missing out on the big day.

However, the 30-year-old has now come to accept it because of two things.

One is the strong family advice he received when he was kid back home in Italy. But the second and most touching aspect for Pascali is what has come his way from across the board in his adopted homeland over the last 72 hours.

Pascali knows he isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and the Killie stopper has rubbed opposition fans and players up the wrong way in the past.

But that has not stopped the Scottish football community uniting as one to lift the spirits of the gutted Italian.

Pascali has been blown away by the support of fans and rivals since his training-ground nightmare last week and insists the gestures are mending his broken heart.

He said: “My father educated me to think of people who are living in poverty and those who are worse off than you.

“I know I’ll be really upset on March 18 when we play Celtic in the League Cup Final but when I remember my father’s advice it makes accepting what has happened much easier.

“The support I have received from so many people has also lifted me and I would like to take this opportunity to thank every one of them.

“The Killie supporters have been magnificent and so have the fans from other clubs.

“I’ve had Celtic and Rangers supporters sending me messages on Twitter as well as punters from other teams.”

Pascali sat out his first game at the weekend when Killie took on Hearts in a highly-charged clash at Rugby Park.

It was a grudge match due to the war of words between Kenny Shiels and Hearts boss Paulo Sergio – but Pascali was touched when several Jambos stars came up to him to offer their support.

He said: “I had a number of Hearts players come up to me at Rugby Park on Saturday to ask if I was well.

“That meant so much. People might not like me as a footballer but it’s nice to know that, regardless of their thoughts of me as a player, they think of me as a nice guy and wish me well.

“I saddens me that I won’t play in the League Cup Final but the kindness I have received from the people will stay in my heart long after that day at Hampden has passed.”

However, Pascali realises no one will be able to console him when his team-mates stride out against Neil Lennon’s men for the showpiece.

On the big day, he will be surrounded by friends and former team-mates from Italy, having scattered invites and ticket offers as soon as Ayr were defeated in the semi-final. In the wake of that triumph, the Killie skipper even insisted he would ask Marcello Lippi to the final after acting as the legendary Italian coach’s interpreter during a recent trip to Scotland.

Pascali said: “I can talk about it now but I am sure it will be very emotional for me to be heading for Hampden hampered by a pair of crutches.

“A lot of friends are coming from Italy for the game because they have booked their flights and their time off work.

“They can’t cancel now and it will be great to see them all but I’m sure it won’t be the same because I’m not able to play.

“However, worse things could happen in football and in life.

“The first thing I thought about when I went down with the injury in training was Hampden.

“But I told the gaffer I would be just as happy if we beat Celtic without me in the team as I would if I was playing.

“It’s a shame I can’t play but I know my team-mates will do their best to win and I’ll be delighted to celebrate with them on my crutches.

“If the boys do a fantastic job I’ll be partying with them because I’ll know deep down I’ve played a part.”

Pascali knew from the moment he crumpled to the turf at the club’s Garscube training base that something horrific had happened when his studs stuck in the ground.

Maintaining his sense of humour, he said: “Someone asked me a couple of days ago how it happened and if it was down to a tackle.

“I told them that no one would break me with a tackle.

“I’ve had one X-ray already and will go for another on Friday.

“Hopefully, that will show the bones are knitting and I won’t need surgery.

“The surgeons are hoping I will just need to be in plaster for six weeks before going through another six weeks of rehabilitation. That could do the trick.

“They are hoping the bones will fuse together straight and properly.

“Friday’s the big day so I just have to be patient and wait for the rehab.”

Pascali is already making plans for the future but, for the time being, it’s painkillers, immobility and hours stuck in front of the TV.

Living in the flats across from Rugby Park, merely looking out of the window provides a harsh realisation of what he’s missing out on right now.

However, in typical fashion, Pascali refuses to sulk.

Knowing there are far worse things in the world than a football injury, the proud father has two-year-old son Francesco tearing around the house to keep him sane.

Wife Chiara is also six months pregnant with the couple’s second child so there is plenty to look forward to.

He said: “I like to keep my life as busy as possible and I want to do as many things as normal.

“But the doctors have spoken to me and said the first week is crucial.

“I have to stay on the couch because even travelling up to the training ground for an hour in the car could cause damage.

“We have Francesco, who is two-and-a-half now, and he is all around the house. Yet I am stuck on the couch all day and not helping Chiara, so she is the real hero now.”